Sun., Jan. 8, 2012

The Houston Aeros (18-8-2-7, 45 pts.) begin a four-game road swing as they visit the San Antonio Rampage (17-16-2-0, 36 pts.) on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. The Houston has dropped two straight games and is coming off a 4-1 loss to the Rockford IceHogs at home on Friday.

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen via Smartphone: Download the TuneIn Radio app; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

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OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros (18-8-2-7, 45 pts.) begin a four-game road swing as they visit the San Antonio Rampage (17-16-2-0, 36 pts.) on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Houston has dropped two straight games and is coming off a 4-1 loss to the Rockford IceHogs at home on Friday. Houston sits five points out of first place in the West Division, trailing the first place OKC Barons and second place Abbotsford Heat. The Rampage edged Texas in the shootout 4-3 on Friday and has won three of the last four games. Since Dec. 3, the fourth place Rampage is 6-2-0-0 on home ice and trails the Aeros by nine points.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday (Jan. 6) --- Rockford (4-1L)
Sunday (Jan. 8) --- at San Antonio (3:30 p.m.)

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen on Smartphone including BlackBerry: Download the TuneIn Radio App; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

GOING TO AEROS HOME GAMES
On-street, garage and surface parking surround Toyota Center… The Box Office and Will Call windows are located on La Branch Street… Due to recent road construction surrounding Toyota Center, the Aeros encourage all guests to allow extra time for parking or visiting the box office.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
The Aeros and Tejas Grill (1201 Lamar, Downtown Houston) will host an away game watch party on Jan. 13… On Jan. 20 the first 1500 kids (14 and under) get Aeros jerseys courtesy Sports 790 radio and Belknap Plumbing/Belknap Concrete!

AEROS/RAMPAGE HEAD-TO-HEAD
This is the seventh meeting this season… Houston has won five straight… Houston is 5-0-0-1 vs. the Rampage this season…  HOU PP is 9/26 (34.6%)… SA PP is 3/25 (12.0%)… The Aeros are 66-29-8-4 all-time vs. the Rampage (45-10-3-0 at home, 29-19-5-4 on the road).

WATCH FOR THIS
---Houston’s power play has scored multiple goals in three of the six games against the Rampage this season and has been scoreless just once.
---Jeff Taffe has three game-winning goals against the Rampage this season.

RECENT AEROS TRANSACTIONS
---Jan. 5: F Harrison Reed released from PTO
---Jan. 5: D Nate Prosser reassigned by MIN
---Jan. 3: F Matt Kassian reassigned by MIN
---Dec. 29: F Jed Ortmeyer recalled by MIN
---Dec. 29: F Jon DiSalvatore reassigned by MIN
---Dec. 29: F Matt Kassian recalled by MIN
---Dec. 27: F Jon DiSalvatore recalled by MIN

AEROS INJURIES
None reported

AEROS MILESTONES
---Jon DiSalvatore’s 22nd goal will be 200th career goal… 18th goal will be 69th as an Aero, placing him first in franchise history (AHL only, 4th AHL/IHL).
---Jeff Taffe’s 12th goal will be his 200th as a pro… 33rd goal will be his 200th in the AHL… 37th game will be his 500th in the AHL… 61st game will be his 700th as a pro.
---Drew Bagnall’s 37th game this season will be his 300th in the AHL.

AEROS PLAYER NOTES
---Mike McKenzie scored his first goal as an Aero in a 4-1 loss to RFD on Jan. 6.
---Chad Rau had a five-game point streak snapped last Sunday (3-3=6).
---Jeff Taffe had the game-winner in two straight games (Dec 26, 30). Taffe had a five-game points streak (2-4=6) snapped last Sunday. Taffe’s OT goal on Dec. 26 was his first since Nov. 18 at Texas.
---Cody Almond has goals in three of the last six games (3-0=3).
---Jon DiSalvatore made his Wild debut on Dec. 28 and skated 14:27 with two shots, two PIM and one hit. It was his first NHL game since March 7, 2006, and the sixth of his career.
---Drew Bagnall is on pace to surpass his career-high for points in a season (12).
---Jarod Palmer scored his first NHL goal on Dec. 29 as the Wild beat EDM 4-3.
---Matt Kassian, Nate Prosser and Jarod Palmer each earned three Star nods in a Wild 4-3 win over EDM on Dec. 29.

TEAM NOTABLES
---Houston has earned at least a point in 14 of the 19 games (6-5-2-6) in which they have allowed the first goal. They are 12-3-0-1 when scoring first.
---Houston made 33 transactions from Dec. 1-Dec. 31 involving 17 separate players.
---The Aeros played nine of 11 games at home from Dec. 8-Jan. 6 and posted a record of 3-4-0-2 in those contests.
---Houston plays seven of 10 games on the road from Jan. 8-Feb. 2.
---The Aeros are 13-0-0-2 when leading at the end of two periods.
---Houston has played 15 games that have been decided by one goal (5-1-2-7).
---The Aeros broke the 100,000 mark in attendance this season with the 4,608 who attended the game on Dec. 18.

AEROS GOALIES
HACKETT – Is 4-6-2 (2.70 GAA/.899 SV%) at home and 8-0-1 (1.88 GAA/.942 SV%) on the road… Won six-straight road starts from Oct. 28-Dec. 30… Made his NHL debut on Dec. 6 and made 34 saves in a 2-1 win at SJ after entering the game early in the first period to relieve an injured Josh Harding… Last Game: Stopped 27 of 31 in a4-1L vs. RFD on Jan. 6.

KUEMPER --- Is 1-1-2 at home (2.01 GAA/.934 SV%) and 2-1-1 on the road (2.46 GAA/ .916 SV%)… Led the ECHL in both GAA (1.74) and save percentage (.941) at the time of his recall on Nov. 29 and posted a 7-1-0 record with the Ontario Reign… Recorded his first pro shutout with 1-0 win on Dec. 9 vs. SAN (33 saves)… Last Game: Stopped 23/29 in a 6-0 loss to OKC on Jan. 1.

POWER PLAY
Is 1/11 in the last three games… Went 5/37 (13.5%) in games 21-30 after going 20/106 (18/9%) in games 1-20… Set a season-high going 3/5 in a 4-2 win at SAN on Oct. 28… Casey Wellman leads the team with 7 PPG.

PENALTY KILL
Opponents are 5/14 in the last three games… PK stopped 20/27 (74.0%) in games 21-30 after stopping 80/97 (82.4%) in games 1-20… Allowed goals in five straight before holding TOR 0/6 on Nov. 6.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
4 – BAGH-nawl
7 – FRED-haym
8 – MED-vekh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – TAYF
26 – MACK-in-tyre
27 – mick-MILL-uhn
35 – KEM-per
39 – GEHN-oh-way
41 - ORT-migh-er
42 – KASS-ee-uhn
61 – KOOH-muh